dolphin
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dolphin¹
- /ˈdɒlf.ɪn/ UK
- [ˈdɒl̥fɪn] UK
- /ˈdɑlf.ɪn/ US
- [ˈdɑl̥fɪn] US
Where it comes from
From Middle English delphyn, from Latin delphīnus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís), from δελφύς (delphús, “womb”); the modern form in -ol- is probably influenced by the pronunciation of Middle French dauphin. Compare Dutch dolfijn and Swedish delfin. Doublet of dauphin. Displaced native Old English mereswīn (literally “sea pig”), whence English mereswine.
noun dolphins
- A carnivorous cetacean, typically with a beak-like snout, famed for their intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.
- Tursiops truncatus, (Atlantic bottlenose dolphin) the most well-known species.
- A fish, the mahi-mahi or dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, with a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body, also known for iridescent coloration.
- A depiction of a fish, with a broad indented fin, usually embowed.
- The dauphin, eldest son of the kings of France.
- A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped through the deck and the hull of an enemy's vessel to sink it.
- A kind of wreath or strap of plaited cordage.
- A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a ring to which ships may fasten their cables.
- A mooring post on a wharf or beach.
- A permanent fender designed to protect a heavy boat, bridge, or coastal structure from the impact of large floating objects such as ice, floating logs, or vessels. At each end of the piers in the water, in cases where several rows of pile are driven, a sort of cutwater should be formed, in order to ward off heavy bodies, such as floating trees, ice, etc. and prevent them from injuring the superstructure (called in German constructions, "Eisbrecher," or ice-bre
- One of the handles above the trunnions by which a gun was lifted.
- A person who buys shares on the primary market only to resell them immediately at a high profit.
dolphin²
- /ˈdɒlf.ɪn/ UK
- [ˈdɒl̥fɪn] UK
- /ˈdɑlf.ɪn/ US
- [ˈdɑl̥fɪn] US
Where it comes from
Ultimately from 3rd Duke of Alba (duc-d'Albe in French), who was the first to build this type of structure in the Spanish Netherlands in the 16th century. Possibly from Dutch dukdalf, or the plural dukdalven, through elision of the initial duk-.
noun dolphins
- A man-made semi submerged maritime structure, usually installed to provide a fixed structure for temporary mooring, to prevent ships from drifting to shallow water or to serve as base for navigational aids.
Dolphin³
Where it comes from
From Middle English Dolfin, from Old Norse Dólgfinnr (given name), from dólgr (“enemy”) + Finnr (“Sami”).
proper noun Dolphins
- A surname.
- A township in Knox County, Nebraska, United States.
- An unincorporated community in Brunswick County, Virginia, United States.
- An unincorporated community in San Juan County, Washington, United States.
- A hamlet in Brynford community, Flintshire, Wales (OS grid ref SJ1973).
-
Synonym of Delphinus (constellation).
Similar: Delphinus
noun Dolphins
- A member of an athletic team called the Dolphins, such as the Miami Dolphins and teams of various institutions of learning.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: mahimahi, dolphinfish, bottlenose, tuna, delphin, dauphin, striker, heir, porpoise, cetacean, delphinid, delphinus, tursiops, orca, blackfish, beluga
Translations
Every language
noun aquatic mammal
| Español | delfín |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 돌고래 dolgorae |
| 日本語 | 海豚 iruka, イルカ iruka |
| 中文 | 海豚 hǎitún, 海豬 /海猪 hǎizhū, 海豨 hǎixī |
| हिन्दी | सूंस sūns, सूँस sū̃s, शिशुमार śiśumār, डॉल्फ़िन ḍŏlfin, डॉल्फिन ḍŏlphin |
| Kiswahili | pomboo |
| Português | golfinho, delfim |
| Français | dauphin |
| Deutsch | Delphin, Delfin |
| Italiano | delfino |
| Ελληνικά | δελφίνι delfíni |
| Română | delfin |
| Русский | дельфи́н delʹfín |
| Tiếng Việt | cá heo |
| العربية | دُلْفِين dulfīn, دَرْفِيل darfīl, دُخَس duḵas |
| עברית | דּוֹלְפִין dolfín |
noun maritime structure
| Español | duque de Alba |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 돌핀 dolpin |
| 日本語 | ドルフィン dorufin |
| Français | duc-d'Albe |
| Deutsch | Dalbe |
| Italiano | briccola |
| Русский | причальные палы pričalʹnyje paly, куст свай kust svaj |
Talk about this word "dolphin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dolphin. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. dolphin. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dolphin "dolphin." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dolphin.Cite this
@misc{dolphin_2026,
title = {dolphin},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dolphin},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
